Case Study
Reflexivity in Human-Computer Interaction
This case study explores how reflexivity is applied within Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research through the lens of intersectionality. In their paper, Schlesinger et al. (2017) analyse over 30 years of publications from the Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI) conference, evaluating how HCI research has historically represented user identity. Their work reveals that demographic information—especially relating to race, class, and intersectional identities—is often inconsistently or inadequately reported. Studies commonly reduce identity to a single category, and contextual factors are frequently omitted.
In response, the authors advocate for a reflexive HCI practice grounded in intersectionality: a methodological and ethical commitment to recognising how overlapping dimensions of identity—such as gender, race, and class—interact with both research content and researcher positioning. They propose several recommendations, including the consistent reporting of participant demographics, explicit contextual framing, and researcher self-disclosure. These steps help foreground whose experiences are being represented, and how the researcher’s own identity may shape interpretation and design.
The authors also reflect on their own positionality and privilege as researchers, modelling the kind of reflexive self-awareness they recommend for the field. By embedding reflexivity into methodological processes, they make the case that more inclusive and socially responsive research becomes possible—not just in terms of representation, but in the design and evaluation of technologies themselves.
This work stands as a key example of how reflexivity can be embedded into technical disciplines, offering a clear and actionable framework for researchers seeking to examine their own role in the production of knowledge.